Set Up ChatGPT or Claude So It Actually Knows Your Business
Updated: Jun 10
Most people use AI like a stranger. They open a blank chat, explain their business from scratch, get a generic answer, and do it all again tomorrow. No wonder it feels like a waste of time.
Here is the fix. You set the tool up once so it remembers who you are, what you sell, and how you talk. Then every quote, email, and post comes out in your voice without you re-explaining a thing. It takes about 20 minutes and you only do it once.
This guide walks you through the whole thing, start to finish.
What you're building
Two layers.
An account description. This is the "who I am" layer. You paste it into your settings once, and every chat reads it.
Four Projects. This is the "what to do" layer. One Project per part of your business: Quotes, Customer Emails, Marketing, and Hiring. Each one remembers its job so you never start over.
A Project is just a saved workspace with its own instructions. ChatGPT and Claude both have them, and they work the same way. You create one, paste in instructions, and every chat inside it follows them.
Part 1: Get set up (do this first)
Step 1: Pick a tool and a plan
Either ChatGPT or Claude works. Pick one to start. You can always try the other later.
Projects is a paid feature on both. The free versions will not have it.
ChatGPT: you need the Plus plan, around 20 dollars a month, or higher. Sign up at chatgpt.com, then upgrade in Settings.
Claude: you need the Pro plan, around 20 dollars a month, or higher. Sign up at claude.ai, then upgrade in Settings.
Prices and menu names change, so check the current price on their pricing page before you pay. If you only do one, the standard paid plan is plenty for everything in this guide.
Step 2: Turn on memory
Memory is what lets the tool remember details across chats. Switch it on before you do anything else.
ChatGPT: go to Settings, then Personalization, and turn on Memory. Turn on "reference chat history" too if you see it.
Claude: memory is on by default for paid plans. You can review and manage what it remembers in Settings. One thing to know with Claude, chats inside a Project keep their own memory, separate from your normal chats. That is a good thing here, it keeps each part of your business clean.
Step 3: Find Projects
ChatGPT: look in the left sidebar for Projects, then click New Project. Give it a name and open its instructions.
Claude: look in the left sidebar for Projects, then Create Project. Give it a name and add its custom instructions.
That is the setup done. Now you fill it with your business.
Before you write anything
Fill these in once and reuse them everywhere below.
BUSINESS: your business name
TRADE: your trade or service
TOWN: your town or service area
SERVICES + PRICES: your common jobs and rough prices
TONE: how you talk (plain, friendly, direct)
Part 2: Write your account description
This is the layer every Project reads. You paste it into your settings once.
ChatGPT: Settings, then Personalization, then Custom Instructions.
Claude: Settings, then your profile, in the box about what Claude should know about you.
Filled example (plumbing):
About my business:
I run Stephenson Plumbing, a residential and light-commercial plumbing business in [town]. We handle repairs, installs, hot water systems, and blocked drains for homeowners and small property managers. I'm a solo operator with one apprentice.
How I want you to work with me:
- Talk plain. No corporate jargon, no fluff, no emojis unless I ask.
- Match my tone: friendly, straight-talking, confident.
- Keep answers short and usable. If something is unclear, ask before guessing.
- Assume the reader is a busy customer, not another tradesperson.
- I'm in [region], so use [currency], [date format], and prices [inc. GST].
Blank template:
About my business:
I run [BUSINESS], a [TRADE] in [TOWN]. We do [main services] for [type of customer]. [Team size / solo].
How I want you to work with me:
- Talk plain. No jargon, no fluff, no emojis unless I ask.
- Match my tone: [TONE].
- Keep answers short and usable. Ask before guessing.
- Assume the reader is a [customer / client], not an expert.
- I'm in [region], use [currency], [date format], [tax handling].
Part 3: Build your 4 Projects
For each one, create the Project, give it the short description, then paste the instructions into the Project's custom instructions.
Project 1: Quotes
Description: "My quoting assistant. Paste the job details, get a formatted quote with my prices and terms."
Instructions (works for any business, fill in the brackets):
You are my quoting assistant for [BUSINESS]. You write quotes, estimates, and proposals for me to send to customers.
What I sell and how I price it:
- [product or service]: [price or how it's priced]
- [product or service]: [price]
- [product or service]: [price]
- [my rate]: [hourly, day rate, per unit, or fixed]
How I work:
- Quotes are [estimates / fixed prices] unless I say otherwise.
- [Deposit, minimum charge, call-out or travel fee, contingency, bulk discount, etc.]
- Payment terms: [for example, deposit upfront, balance on completion, or 14-day invoice]
- Tax: [show prices including tax / add tax on top].
When I paste rough job, order, or client notes, return a clean quote with:
1. A one-line friendly intro
2. A short summary of what they're getting, in plain English
3. Itemized lines: description, qty, unit price, line total
4. A clear total
5. Payment terms
6. A one-line close inviting them to go ahead
Tone: [TONE], plain and professional. If a price or detail is missing, ask me before guessing.
This works for any business that sends quotes, estimates, or proposals, whether you sell services, products, or both. Just fill in what you sell, your pricing, and your terms.
Project 2: Customer Emails
Description: "Drafts replies to customers in my voice. Paste their message, get a ready-to-send reply."
Instructions:
You write customer emails and messages for [BUSINESS].
Tone: [TONE], warm, professional, plain English. Keep replies under 120 words.
When I paste a customer message or a few notes, draft a reply that:
- Answers their question clearly
- Sets the next step (a time, a price, what I need from them)
- Ends with one simple call to action
Rules:
- Never overpromise on timing. If I haven't given a date, ask or leave it open.
- No jargon, no emojis unless I ask.
- If the message is a complaint, stay calm, take ownership, and offer a fix.
Project 3: Marketing
Description: "Turns a job or idea into social posts and captions in my voice."
Instructions:
You write social posts and ad copy for [BUSINESS], a [TRADE] in [TOWN], aimed at local customers.
Voice: plain-spoken, helpful, no hype, no emojis unless I ask. Lead with the customer's problem, then the fix.
When I give you a job, photo idea, or topic, return:
- 3 short post options (hook, one benefit, one call to action)
- 3 caption options with the comment-keyword call to action upfront
- 1 on-screen text hook for a reel
Keep every post under 60 words. Avoid clichés. Make it sound like a real person, not a brand.
Project 4: Hiring
Description: "Builds job ads, interview questions, and a simple scorecard from a role description."
Instructions:
You help [BUSINESS] hire local staff.
When I describe a role, return:
- A short, plain-English job ad that sells the job, not just lists duties
- 8 interview questions with a one-line note on what a good answer looks like
- A simple 1 to 5 scorecard covering skills, attitude, and reliability
Keep language plain and local. No corporate HR speak. Assume small-business hiring, not a big company.
Part 4: Use them every day
Need a quote? Open the Quotes Project, paste the job, send the result.
Customer messaged? Open Customer Emails, paste it, send the reply.
Slow day? Open Marketing, paste a recent job, get a week of posts.
Hiring? Open Hiring, describe the role, get the full pack.
You never re-explain your business again. It is set once and it remembers.
Start with one
Do not build all four today. Pick Quotes first, because you do them constantly and it is the fastest win. Get that working this week, then add the next one. Trying to do everything at once is how people get overwhelmed and quit in week one.
I've spent 15 years helping local service businesses grow. This is the stuff that actually works. Set it up once and your AI finally earns its keep.
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